1. finance
2. grants, scholarships and financial aid
3. scholarships

SPECIAL STATE CONVENTION ISSUE
AAUWNYSFOCUS
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN NEW YORK STATE SPRING 2015 VOLUME 64, ISSUE 2 ISSN 1056 3199
BUFFALO BRANCH MARKS A MILESTONE
125 and still going strong
By JULIA WEIDEMANN
Buffalo Branch Past President
T
he Buffalo Branch of the American Association of University
Women is now 125 years old.
Nationally, the Association of
Collegiate Women was founded in 1880.
Ten years later, in 1890 there were only
eight women in all of Buffalo who had
graduated from college. Five of them met
and became the officers of the group
CELEBRATE
which became the
WITH BUFFALO
tenth branch of the
AT THE STATE
organization which
CONVENTION,
APRIL 17-19
became AAUW.
AT BYBLOS
Originally known as
NIAGARA
the “Western New
RESORT & SPA,
York” branch, it took
GRAND ISLAND
on the name “Buffalo
Branch” in 1921.
A charming description of the initial
meeting was written by Olga Murray
Lindberg for the 85th Anniversary Celebration of the Buffalo Branch.
On a sunny October afternoon in 1890,
a stylishly dressed young woman stepped
from her carriage and gathering her skirts
in one hand, hurried up the walk to a
home on 7th Street. Mrs. Lena Hill Severance was hostess, and five other college
women met in her living room to form a
Buffalo Chapter of the Collegiate Alumnae, later to become the American Association of University Women. Their goal
was to establish a $500 fellowship “For
the purpose of enabling young women to
continue their education at European
Universities.” As recorded in the minutes, “Women have shown that they can
take a college course without injury to
their health and with great benefit to
their intellectual powers. It remains to
be proved that a college course will
produce its natural fruits in at least a
handful of women who shall take a
proper share in the intellectual activity of their country men.”
These women did not need to be
concerned about the contributions
of the educated women in AAUW
in their community.
Awarding of scholarships to
women for higher education has
remained a strong focus
for AAUW Buffalo
Branch. In 1936, Sarah
Dodge Chamberlin left
money from her large estate
to the Buffalo Branch for
non-interest bearing loans to
young women to help fund
their college education. Since
that time, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been
loaned to women. In 1999,
member Velma Cobb bequeathed $30,000 to the branch
for scholarships. In 2001 the
Branch learned that Olga Lindberg had bequeathed almost one
Continued on Page 2
The Buffalo
Branch book
sale, above,
has been a
popular fundraiser for 60
years. At left,
a newspaper
clipping about
the branch’s
1940 spring
luncheon.
Buffalo Branch
marks a milestone
Continued from Page 1
half a million dollars to the Buffalo
Branch for Scholarships. This Olga
Lindberg is the same woman who
wrote the description of the initial
meeting of the organization. In 2004
another bequest of $50,000 was received from the estate of Dorothy
Payne. A $5,000 scholarship has
been given for the past four years in
honor of local newscaster, Jacquie
Walker, who has given outstanding
publicity to the Book Sale. Other
smaller scholarships have been given
as memorials and tributes.
In addition to our local scholarship
programs, we have fully funded two
AAUW programs – one American
Fellowship and one “Research and
Projects.” We are also currently
working to fund a second American
Fellowship in honor of Hillary Rodham Clinton. We are also delighted to
be supporting, for the past couple of
years, young people who have
founded student AAUW groups at the
University at Buffalo and Daemen
College.
For 60 years, the Buffalo Branch
has sponsored a Used Book Sale.
The sale has become a fixture in the
community. Books are recycled and
funds are raised for the Association
Educational Foundation and for local
scholarships and community projects.
For a number of years over $50,00
has been realized.
Social issues have long been a
focus for the branch. In 1914, members learned that Buffalo was the
only large city without a Board of
Education. AAUW members lobbied
locally and in Albany and were instrumental in a Buffalo Schools
Board of Education being formed.
Low salaries for women teachers
were also a concern for the branch in
its early years. Branch members
worked hard to campaign for fair and
equal salaries for women teachers.
PAGE 2 FOCUS SPRING 2015
The Buffalo Branch sold thousands of dollars worth of War Bonds
during World War II and was recognized nationally for its efforts. After
the war, the branch sponsored a number of meetings and forums to help
plan intelligently for the postwar education of civilians and veterans.
Locally two events for women
have become part of the yearly program. “Sister to Sister” is a day long
program for girls ages 11to 17, based
on the Association model, to provide
a forum for teenage girls to discuss
issues of importance to them.
Among those issues, all important to
AAUW, are sexual harassment, domestic violence, body image, teen
sex, and substance abuse. This year is
the 18th event here in Buffalo, now
led by a group of community organizations.
In March 2015, the branch will
sponsor the 10th Annual Tech Savvy
Program. This program now hosts
over 500 girls, as well as parents and
teachers. The day is spent helping the
participants learn more about STEM
careers and how to prepare for them.
The founder of the program in
Buffalo, Tamara Brown, was honored
by the White House in 2011 for her
efforts and the program is now being
duplicated by other branches nationally.
There have been a number of
other conferences over the years.
Some of the recent ones have focused
on Title IX, Transitions (women experiencing major changes in their
lives) and Campus Sexual Assault/Intimate Partner Violence.
Since 1940, we have also honored
a woman every year as our “Achievement Award Winner.” These are
women who have gone above and beyond in community service, politics,
advocacy, their professions,etc. The
list includes internationally acclaimed and “quiet” names, of whom
we should all be proud.
City of snow and
good neighbors
It was around 1890 and Buffalo was a
booming town. The U.S. president was Benjamin Harrison, who was both preceded and
followed by Buffalo’s own former mayor and
NYS governor Grover Cleveland. The city’s
population had reached over 250,000, which
made it the 11th most populous in the whole
country. Larkin, which began as a modest soap
company in 1875, became the first large scale
manufacturer to eliminate all middlemen with
its innovative “Larkin
Clubs” using catalogs
and mail-order exclusively.
The first electric chair
was used at the Auburn
penitentiary, the result of
experiments by a Buffalo
dentist. Sara Hinson, a
Buffalo teacher, principal
Louise Bethune
and school board member, started Flag Day exercises on June 14,
1891 (Its official holiday status came in 1916.)
Louise Blanchard Bethune, one of America’s
first female architects, designed the Livestock
Exchange building, which opened in 1892.
The daily Buffalo Express evening newspaper, of which Mark Twain had been an editor a
decade earlier, cost three cents.
Electric power from Niagara Falls, which
was the catalyst for the 1901 Pan-American
Exposition “City of Light,” became available
in 1896. Dr Roswell Park established the first
cancer research center in the world in 1898.
Louise Bethune was involved in the design
of the Women’s Fair Building and was an early
advocate of equal pay.
Part of Buffalo’s early success was due to its
location as the terminus of the Erie Canal.
Ships brought goods from the Midwest and
canal boats brought goods from the East. The
business of transferring the cargo between the
two was huge, but dwindled to almost nothing
after the completion of the St Lawrence Seaway in 1959. About the same time, the huge
steel manufacturing business started leaving
the area.
For quite a while, Buffalo was in a decline.
But the past few years have brought a resurgence of energy. The Queen City of the Great
Lakes, this city of snow and city of good neighbors, has much to offer everyone.
-- Betty Preble and Barbara Carier
Get ready
to fun-raise at
convention
By JANICE BROWN
AAUW-NYS Development VP
The development team has
coordinated several fundraising
activities for the state convention this year, to be held April
17-19 at Byblos Niagara Resort
& Spa in Grand Island. N.Y.
There will be Bunco games,
swimming and dancing ... plus
the famous basket room.
The Bunco games will be a
“meet and greet” on Friday
from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be a
new game every hour. The cost
will be $10 to play and four
players will be needed at each
table. Wine and cheese will be
served.
An EOF event on Saturday
will give attendees a chance to
“Dance the Night Away.” The
cost will be $20 per person.
Come with your best dance
moves because there will be a
dance contest to end the night.
LAF will have a guest
speaker at the luncheon and we
will collect donations for the
LAF funds at that time.
We will also have the basket
room, celebrating 20 years.
Bring your best basket item/raffle items. See instructions in
your convention packet.
To raise other funds, we will
have a swimming contest and
swim aerobics on Saturday
morning at 7. The cost will be
$10 per person.
Who will be this year’s
Mermaid of the Convention?
See the convention packet
for details on each event.
Fundraising is a big part of our
mission in changing the lives of
women and girls.
Proceeds from Buffalo’s book sale, which began in 1955, have grown to over $50,000.
60 years of success
By PATRICIA SWIFT-MacCLENNAN
Buffalo Branch
T
he Buffalo Branch’s annual book
sale, which celebrated its 60th
anniversary in 2014, was a significant innovation in the early
1950s when fashion shows and bridge parties were the primary sources of funds for
women’s organization. As AAUW focused
on fellowships and depended on branches
for increased donations, Buffalo members
decided in 1954 to become book sellers.
The first sale, in 1955, was held in a
vacant downtown storefront with books
collected by members, who also were the
primary customers. It raised $209.72 and
was considered so successful that it became an annual event.
As the sale grew in size and duration
finding space large enough and rent free
became an issue. In 1981, the group finally paid rent to get space in the Buffalo
Convention Center. It was the most luxurious spot the sale has ever known but expenses were cutting too deeply into profits
so in 1988, the group persuaded a local
college to loan its recreation center.
Sale workers managed to find donated
space in the city until well into the1980s.
The growing collection attracted the interest of dealers who advised the branch to
charge admission fees, at least on opening
day. The other four days remained free of
charge until two years ago when a $1 fee
was instituted.
With increased donations, the demand
for ever larger space made staying in
downtown too difficult and in the 1990s
members began looking at vacant suburban big box stores, some of which were
provided rent-free by a local developer.
There was need for at least 16,000 square
feet to house a collection that was approaching 100,000 books. By 2014, that
figure was close to 150,000. It was also
getting impossible to find free space.
Expenses were rising, but so were profits. Last year the gross was over $70,000
and the net was over $50,000. These profits have allowed the branch to fund one
AAUW fellowship pledge and commit to
another as well as several programs and
scholarships locally.
The book sale has remained an all-volunteer event. Members collect, sort and
package books for eight months each year
and fill multiple jobs during the sale.
There was a time when members’
homes and garages were used as drop-off
and storage depots. Today, free space is
provided for collection and storage where
workers spend two days a week processing donations.
Never underestimate the power of
AAUW.
SPRING 2015 FOCUS PAGE 3
Meet the candidates for state office
The AAUW-NYS Nominating Committee is pleased to present at Convention the
following slate for election, as qualified to
serve for state office 2015-2017:
Public Policy Vice President:
Donna Seymour
A dual member of the St. Lawrence
County and Empire State Virtual Branches,
Donna Seymour is seeking a second term
as the AAUW-NYS Public Policy Vice
President. An experienced
leader, she has served on the
AAUW-NYS Board as Communications Director (20002004; 2008-2012), Public
Policy Director (2012-2013) and Nominating Committee Chair (2013).
During her tenure, Donna has formed
strong coalition partnerships with organizations such as Women’s Equality Coalition, NY Equal Pay Coalition and
PowHerNY, which support our work and
amplify our message.
Donna is well regarded for her consistent outreach to branch leaders. In praising
Donna as a mentor, Trudy Ruchman of the
Long Island North Shore Branch writes,
“Donna is always available to me for telephone consultations and has spent much of
her valuable time clarifying state-wide
concerns.”
Donna’s energy, skills, commitment,
ideas and national contacts combine to
make her a highly effective leader and
public policy advocate. Current Program
VP Jane Russell states, “I have worked
with Donna for almost twenty years in this
organization and I have never met a more
dedicated volunteer. Donna’s life reflects
the mission of AAUW.”
Secretary/Bylaws:
Loreen (Laurie) Ginnitti
In addition to her many leadership roles
as a member of the Jamestown Branch,
Laurie Ginnitti is a voice of authority on
policies and procedures of the AAUWNYS Board, helping many
branches bring their bylaws into
compliance.
AAUW-NYS Past-President
Evvie Currie writes, “Laurie’s
knowledge of the AAUW history, the national and state organizations and our pubPAGE 4 FOCUS SPRING 2015
lic policies is unmatched by many members.” She was the Chair of the AAUWNYS Task Force for the Future, which
focused on board structure and communication with branches.
She has served twice as AAUW-NYS
Secretary/Bylaws (1999-2001 and 20052007), once as AAUW-NYS Administrative Director (2002-2004) and several
times as Parliamentarian for AAUW-NYS
conventions.
During her first term as Bylaws chair,
she conducted an extensive bylaws revision, and in her second term she facilitated
a major revision of the working rules.
AAUW-NYS Past President Betty Harrel
states, “Laurie always acts in a precise,
professional manner while maintaining excellent rapport with her peers.”
Nancy Mion, current LAF Director and
AAUW-NYS Past President, says, “She is
everything one would wish for in an
AAUW- NYS Secretary/By-Laws Officer.
She is totally committed to AAUW and
our mission.”
Membership Vice President:
Margaret (Peggy) Tiffany
In five years as a member of the
Dunkirk-Fredonia Branch, Peggy Tiffany
has embraced leadership roles, serving as
both Co-President and Public
Policy Chair.
“Peggy has spent countless
hours encouraging membership
growth, providing a link to college programming and creating a liaison
with the Women’s Student Union at Fredonia,” writes Karin Lewis, Dunkirk-Fredonia LAF and Education Chair. Peggy is
enthusiastic about the AAUW mission and
enjoys telling people about our lobbying
efforts, the scholarships we provide, and
our collaborations with other women’s organizations.
In addition to her commitment to
AAUW, she has significant experience as a
leader, a recruiter and a supervisor in nonprofit organizations. Active in her community, Peggy served as Vice President for
Communications (2007-2008) and President (2008-2011) of the United Way of
Northern Chautauqua County and was also
the Vice-President (2010-2011) and President (2011-2014) of the Chautauqua
County Rural Ministry.
Shirley Erbsmehl, Co-President of the
Dunkirk-Fredonia Branch, states, “I cannot
think of anyone who is better suited to
work with groups and individuals on a professional basis than Peggy. She has a marvelous sense of humor and always goes out
of her way to make people feel comfortable in any situation.”
Betty Preble, President of the Buffalo
Branch, notes, “Peggy brings the knowledge and experience that comes with dealing with the challenges of a smaller
branch. This will be a great help to many
of her branch counterparts.”
Treasurer:
Ruth Fierro-King
Ruth Fierro-King, a member of the Buffalo Branch since 2008, is currently serving as interim AAUW-NYS Treasurer
through June. This role is a natural fit for Ruth, who served as
Treasurer of her branch from
2008-2012 and as AAUW-NYS
Treasurer from 2009-2013.
“Ruth's background in finance, and her
branch, state, and national knowledge of
AAUW have previously enabled the board
and members to stay informed about the
status of the state. I feel confident she will
continue to provide excellent guidance and
explanation,” says Eileen Hartmann,
AAUW Director and AAUW-NYS Past
President.
A graduate of Bernard Baruch College
with a BBA in Economics and Finance,
Ruth completed a master’s degree in International Finance from the University at
Buffalo.
She has an extensive background in
commercial real estate lending, business
structure lending, community development
lending and in successfully managing large
business relationships.
Currently a Vice President at First Niagara Bank in the Commercial Business
Banking Group in Buffalo, Ruth previously held various leadership positions for
HSBC and Key Bank.
AAUW-NYS Membership VP Maria
Ellis writes, “Ruth believes in giving back
to the community and she is committed to
AAUW’s mission to improve the lives of
women and girls.”
Leader on Loan will
focus on education
By DONNA SEYMOUR
AAUW-NYS Public Policy Director
Education is a top priority in
AAUW’s advocacy work.
Our AAUW Leader on Loan
for Convention is Erin Prangley
from the Public Policy Department. Erin
works closely
with us on many
issues, including
the Common
Core and education funding inequity.
Inequity of
Erin Prangley
opportunity is
directly tied to funding inequity.
Both are serious problems here in
New York and across the nation.
For the first time in 50 years, a
majority of U.S. public school
students come from low-income
families.
According to a recent study,
New York schools in poorer districts spent $8,733 per pupil less
in 2012 than those from wealthier
ones. Educational inequity has
grown by nearly 9 percent since
Gov. Cuomo took office in 2011.
At the same time, schools
across the state have been working to implement Common Core,
college and career readiness standards, and establish a better understanding of 21st century
learning.
At the college level, students,
parents, and higher education
stakeholders all want the same
thing: affordable college. Student
debt is out of control and students
have at best a poor understanding
of what the real costs of education loans will be over a working
lifetime.
For public school students, the
biggest factor in determining how
much they pay is state investment. In 2012 for the first time,
tuition surpassed state money as
funding sources for public universities, according to a new
Government Accountability Office report. Too many states
haven't made higher education a
priority.
Erin will walk us through the
many challenges and the opportunities AAUW members and
branches have to continue to effect positive change on our local
and state public school and college educational systems.
2 sessions on women in office
Elected women officials at all
levels bring a unique skill set
with them to their positions.
That is because some of the
traditional abilities that women
use in their daily lives – such as
multi-tasking, peacemaking, financial planning, and organization – are valuable assets that can
be used when elected.
This year's convention features two sessions about women
in municipal office.
The first will take place on
Saturday at 11 a.m. A panel of
elected women officials consisting of several women from different parts of the state will talk
about their journeys to office.
An afternoon breakout workshop will be presented by Taking
Action in Politics, a non-partisan
political action committee dedicated to the election of qualified
women candidates running for
local and statewide public office
in Western New York.
– Jane Russell, Program VP
Warm welcome
for students
By ANGELA CLARK-TAYLOR
and KIM POLLARD
Another first for AAUW of New York State
– a student specific program at the 2015 State
Convention! As AAUW-NYS forges ahead in
2015 with the mission of “Leading the Way:
Women Leadership in the 21st Century,” what
better way to proceed than with the women
who will continue the charge by our side?
The convention will feature a one-day college student track on Saturday from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m. at the Byblos Niagara Resort. The cost
for this program is $20 per student, and the
same low rate will be offered to faculty and
staff who bring students to the convention.
Promoting equity and education for women
and girls is not just a slogan – it’s a way of life
for AAUW members.
With more than 60 College/University (C/U)
Partners and over 600 student affiliates across
the state, engaging young women in the decision-making process and empowering them to
break through barriers is a priority here in New
York.
The college students who attend the convention will network with fellow student leaders,
faculty, staff, and AAUW members; hear from
a well-respected keynote speaker about her personal path to success; attend career-building
workshops; and dialogue with AAUW-NYS
leaders to assess our campus leadership programs and how we can better serve their needs.
Workshops will include Creating and Managing Your Digital Image; Internships 101:
How to Determine the Good from the Bad,
Market Yourself and Write a Winning Cover
Letter; and Promoting Equity & Social Justice:
Building Your Career Through Advocacy, Education, Philanthropy, and Research.
Help us spread the word about the new convention student track:
Include this information in your branch
newsletter and on your branch website.
Share this information on social media.
Invite your branch’s scholarship recipients to attend the student track at convention.
Make sure local colleges are aware of this
opportunity for students, faculty and staff.
Lead by example. Register today to attend
the convention and bring a guest with you.
SPRING 2015 FOCUS PAGE 5
Proposed bylaws amendments
LOREEN GINNITTI
AAUW-NYS Secretary/Bylaws
The following amendments to the American Association of
University Women – New York State Inc. (AAUW–NYS) bylaws have been written by the bylaws committee and reviewed
by the Board of Directors. They will be voted upon by the
membership at the 2015 convention.
****Items that are underlined will be removed from the
wording. Items shown in “quotations” are replacement or additions in the new wording.
Article VII Duties of Officers
Section 1 President
b. State Responsibilities
Currently – 4. Serve as an ex-officio member of all task
forces and committees except the nominating committee.
New by replacement – 4. Serve “in an advisory capacity to”
all task forces and committees except the nominating committee.
Rationale – Ex-officio gives voting rights to a person who
may not have participated fully on the committee. In an advisory capacity the president has a right of participation but no
voting rights unless specified in the bylaws or working rules.
The president is listed as full voting member of the finance
committee in the working rules.
Article VII Duties of Officers
Section 4 Treasurer
By addition – Add: b. “Prepare the annual budget with review and input from the finance committee for approval by
the AAUW-NYS board of directors.”
Rationale – To clarify the role of treasurer, finance committee and the board in the budget process.
Article XII Financial Administration
Section 2 budget
Currently – The annual budget for the state shall be prepared by the finance committee and approved by the AAUWNYS board of directors.
New by insertion: The annual AAUW-NYS budget shall be
prepared by “the treasurer with review and input from the finance committee for approval” by the AAUW-NYS board of
directors.
Rationale – To be consistent with the board of directors
working rules and defining the role of the treasurer, finance
committee and board of directors.
Article XV Parliamentary Authority
Currently – The rules contained in the current edition of
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all instances….. not inconsistent with these bylaws, the laws of New York State and/or requirements of the
Internal Revenue Code.
New by insertion – Add: not inconsistent with these bylaws, “the Working Rules of the AAUW-NYS Board of Directors,” the laws of...
Rationale – The new wording prevents Robert’s Rules
from superseding the Working Rules of the Board of
Directors.
Article XVII Amendments to the Bylaws
Currently – Section 2. Prior Approval
All other proposed amendments to AAUW-NYS bylaws
shall be sent to the AAUW-NYS Board of Directors for
review prior to being voted on.
New by addition – Add: “approval and compliance with
AAUW bylaws, AAUW-NYS bylaws, federal and New York
State laws, regulations of the Internal Revenue service and the
mission of AAUW prior to the membership vote at the annual
business meeting.”
Rationale – Any member may propose an amendment to
the bylaws. The Bylaws Committee/Board of Directors will
review for compliance. AAUW is governed by DC law which
requires board approval of all bylaws amendments. Since our
bylaws must conform to AAUW bylaws, our bylaws must include the provision for board approval.
All approved amendments are submitted to the membership
at the annual business meeting for approval.
Currently – Section 3. Member Vote
Provisions of these bylaws not governed by the AAUW
Bylaws may be amended at the AAUW-NYS Annual Meeting
by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided
written notice shall have been sent to the members at least
thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.
New – By Insertion – Provisions of these bylaws not
governed by the AAUW Bylaws may be amended at the
AAUW-NYS Annual Meeting by a two-thirds vote of those
present and voting, provided written notice “of approved
amendments has” been sent to the members at least thirty (30)
days prior to the meeting.
Rationale – Change of Section 2. incorporated into
Section 3
Register now for the 2015 convention
April 17-19 at Byblos Niagara Resort & Spa, Grand Island, N.Y.
“AAUW Leading the Way: Women Leadership in the 21st Century”
www.aauw-nys.org/convention
PAGE 6 FOCUS SPRING 2015
Michelle Jaureguito
Henley will speak at
Convention about
how the Legal
Advocacy Fund
helped her win a
Title IX case
in California.
AAUW-NYS
ELECTED OFFICERS
President
Edwina Frances Martin, Esq.
edwinamartin@hotmail.com
Program Vice President
Jane Russell
homechick@empacc.net
Public Policy Vice President
Donna Seymour
seymour6985@verizon.net
Development Vice President /
Acting Administrative Director
Janice Brown
j2brown1012@aol.com
Membership Vice President
Maria Ellis
mellis@fsacap.com
Interim Treasurer
Ruth Fierro-King
ruthfierroking@gmail.com
Secretary/Bylaws Chair
Loreen Ginnitti
loreen@fairport.net
(appointed to fill out Edwina Martin’s term)
APPOINTED DIRECTORS
LAF Director
Nancy Mion
Myown220@aol.com
EOF Director
Lucienne Nicholson
nicholsonlucienne@gmail.com
Cultural / International Director
Jennifer Mayfield
jennifer.a.mayfield@gmail.com
Communications Director /
Nominations Chair
Cynthia “Cyd” Averill
averillc@optonline.net
Immediate Past President /
District Director
Mary Lou Davis
maryloudavis125@gmail.com
Focus Director
Claire Regan
regan@siadvance.com
Diversity Director
Valora Blackson
blacksov@stjohns.edu
College/University Director
Angela Clark-Taylor
angela.clark-taylor@rochester.edu
LAF champion on tap
By NANCY MION
AAUW-NYS LAF Director
Come to the 2015 NYS Convention
and hear Michelle Jaureguito Henley
speak about how the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund helped her and two colleagues with their cases of Title IX
violations, retaliation, campus sexual
harassment and more.
Mollie Lam, LAF Manager, tells us
that Jaureguito, Paul Thein and Laurel
Wartluft were former employees of
Feather River Community College in
California. In 2006, they filed whistleblower lawsuits against Feather River,
alleging that the college violated Title
IX by retaliating against them for complaining about sex discrimination,
among other claims.
In July 2005, several students reported to Jaureguito and to Thein that a
particular staff member had sexually harassed and inappropriately touched students. They reported the students’
complaints to the college president. The
two claimed that the college retaliated
against them for reporting and investigating the students’ complaints. Shortly
after this reporting, Jaureguito was
charged with a baseless disciplinary action (which was eventually dismissed)
and harassed by staff. Although she reported the retaliatory harassment several
times, it continued.
The three found out about our
AAUW LAF, which helps people who
are fighting to enforce the laws that pre-
vent sex discrimination. They submitted
an application for assistance in 2007.
Their request was evaluated by the staff
for several factors including the legal
validity of the claim, and it will set a
precedent that will stop other employers
from the same illegal behavior.
The LAF Committee considered all
the factors including what monies were
available and decided the case should be
recommended to the AAUW Board of
Directors for their approval which they
gave.
It takes courage, determination, support and money to file a lawsuit. Your
support and donations are so essential to
obtaining gender equity through the
legal system.
The cases were referred to California’s State Personnel Board. In August
2009, a SPB judge issued a decision in
favor of all three plaintiffs, ordering
their reinstatement and awarding them
back pay and damages.
Feather River appealed the SPB
judge’s decision. After a lengthy appeal,
the full SPB upheld the judge’s 2009 decision in the plaintiffs’ favor. Now, more
than eight years after filing suit, their
cases are finally coming to an end.
I urge you to come to Convention
and listen to Michelle Jaureguito Henley
as she gives us all the details of her LAF
case and how it affected her life.
See how your support and contributions make a difference in the constant
battle to stop sex discrimination in the
work place.
SPRING 2015 FOCUS PAGE 7
NEW YORK STATE FOCUS
SPRING 2015
ISSN: 1056 3199
www.aauw.org
www.aauw-nys.org
PRST-STD
US POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 530
MAHWAH, N.J.
07401
MISSION STATEMENT
AAUW advances equity for
women and girls through
advocacy, education,
philanthropy, and research.
AAUW VALUE PROMISE
By joining AAUW, we belong
to a community that breaks
through educational and
economic barriers so that all
women have a fair chance.
VISION STATEMENT
AAUW empowers all women
and girls to reach their highest
potential.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
In principle and practice, AAUW
values and seeks a diverse
membership. There shall be no
Attention postmaster: Dated material. Please do not delay.
POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to AAUW Record Office,
1111 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
barriers to full participation in
this organization on the basis
of gender, race, creed, age,
sexual orientation, national
origin,disability or class.
Focus, a quarterly newsletter,
is published by the American
Association of University
Women-New York State.
The distribution cost of
$4 is included in state dues.
Questions and articles
should be addressed to:
Focus Director Claire Regan,
Associate Managing Editor,
Staten Island Advance,
950 Fingerboard Rd.,
Staten Island, N.Y. 10305.
Phone: 718-816-2845.
Email: focus@aauw-nys.org.
Submissions are accepted at
the discretion of the editor.
Focus is a publication of the
AAUW-NYS Board.
PAGE 8 FOCUS SPRING 2015
FROM THE PRESIDENT / EDWINA FRANCES MARTIN, ESQ.
Convention: A rite of spring
W
hat are you
doing in April?
I hope you will
be joining us at
the 2015 AAUW-NYS Convention – AAUW Leading
the Way: Women Leadership
in the 21st Century, April 1719 at Byblos Niagara Resort
& Spa in Grand Island, N.Y.
Since last September a
dedicated team has been
working hard to plan an exciting, engaging, educationally edifying and fun
experience.
I have been organizing a
workshop with Past Presidents Mary Lou Davis and
Nancy Mion called “Women
and the Vote: Past, Present
and Future.”
We are collaborating with
the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar As-
sociation of
the State of
New York to
offer free
Continuing
Legal Education credit
to AAUW
member atNadia
Shahram, Esq. torneys. This
marks the
first time such credit is being
offered to convention attendees.
The workshop will delve
into the issue of women and
the right to vote from many
different vantage points – the
impact on the women's suffrage movement of leaving
out the right to vote for
women in the 15th Amendment; the current status of
efforts throughout the country to create barriers to the
right to vote; how the U.S.
women's suffrage movement
has inspired women around
the world; and efforts our
members around the state
are involved in to celebrate
the upcoming centennial of
the women's right to vote in
New York State (2017) and
in the U.S. (2020).
Presenters will include
members speaking on centennial efforts and experts on
voting rights law.
Nadia Shahram, Esq., adjunct professor of law at
SUNY Buffalo School of
Law, will speak on the impact of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's Declaration of
Sentiments presented at the
1848 Seneca Falls convention.
I look forward to seeing
you in April!